Synthetic absorbable multifilament sutures such as DEXON™, VICRYL®, and POLYSORB™, commercially available from Ethicon, Inc. (Somerville, N.J.), and United States Surgical Corporation (Norwalk, Conn.), are known in the industry.
Suture coatings for synthetic absorbable sutures containing are also known. See, for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,624,256; 4,190,720; 4,582,052; 4,605,730; 4,700,704; 4,705,820; 4,788,979; 4,791,929; 4,994,074; 5,047,048; 5,100,433; 5,133,739; and 5,352,515.
One important feature of a suture coating is its ability to enhance the suture's handling characteristics, such as surgeon's throw, lubricity, knot run down and/or knot security. The ability of a coating to adhere to, and remain adhered to, a medical device such as a suture, is another important feature. Although commercially available surgical sutures such as POLYSORB™ have excellent handling characteristics, it would be advantageous to provide a coated suture exhibiting even better surgeon's throw, lubricity, knot run down, and/or knot security properties, as well as improved adherence to a suture.